Though best known for their instrumental hit "Pick Up the Pieces," the band's strength lies in their consistently accomplished songwriting, stretching across several gold-selling albums and multi-Grammy nominations for Atlantic Records. Despite their Scottish roots, the six-piece band developed their own "authentic" sound influenced by R&B heroes such as Marvin Gaye, James Brown, and Donny Hathaway, which was eagerly adopted by black audiences in the US and elsewhere.
Many of the band's cuts, such as "Cut The Cake" and "Let's Go 'Round Again," attracted chart action as hit singles, while album tracks like "Schoolboy Crush" and "Person to Person" became much-sampled "rare" grooves. Other tunes like "Cloudy," "A Love Of Your Own," and "Nothing You Can Do" stand alongside some of the finest soul album tracks ever recorded.
The current lineup of the band, with noted US musicians alongside founding members Alan Gorrie and Onnie McIntyre, continues to delight audiences and critics alike in its wide-ranging touring. The musical energy and trademark sound are remarkably true to the original, and with constant revisitation and re-workings of AWB's, and others' classics in the mix, it is no surprise that the Average White Band is now a multi-generational attraction and a perennial fixture with many of the top music venues.
You Shoulda’ Known
Average White Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But you know me- you
Should know better
I belong to you - an' only
You
Girl you got to know if it's
Up to me we'll be together
For ever and ever - ooh
Looks my way
I let her know that she best
Be on her way
Don't want to spend my
Time, don't want to give my
Love to no - one but you
Girl you shoulda' known I'll
Never let you down
Your heart is my home
You're always on my mind
Girl you shoulda' known
This love is on solid ground
You shoulda' known by the
Look in my eye
You shoulda' known
Shoulda' known baby (2x)
How could you doubt my
Love, you know me - you
Should know better
Darlin I'd be a fool to lose
Your trust
Ain't nothin' in my life, in
This whole world I've come
To treasure
The way I do you
So any time that you feel
Unsure Look in my eyes that's
Where you'll find the truth
I wanna fill you up with all
The love I feel
An' take your worries away
Girl you shoulda' known I'll
Never let you down
Your heart is my home
You're always on my mind
Girl you shoulda' known this
Love is on solid ground
You shoulda' known by the
Look in my eye
And when I met you I got a
Feelin' that we meant to be
-that you were sent just for
Me
And I'm holding on to what
I've found in you.......
Shoulda' known, shoulda'
Known by now...... Etc.
The song "You Shoulda' Known" by the Average White Band expresses the singer's commitment and declaration of love for his partner. He expresses outrage and disbelief that his loved one doubts his love for her. He assures her that he only belongs to her, and he only wants to spend his love and time on her. He promises that no other woman can come between them, and he will always be faithful to her. He tells her that she should have no doubts that his love for her is real and that his heart belongs to her. The song is a passionate plea for his partner to believe in his love for her and to trust him completely.
The song's lyrics emphasize the depth of the singer's love and his commitment to his partner. It suggests that their relationship is built on trust, honesty, and devotion. The message of the song encourages listeners to appreciate and cherish their partners and to consider their feelings and perspectives in the relationship. The singer seems to be urging his partner to have faith in him and their love and to remember that he will never let her down.
Line by Line Meaning
Heard you doubt my love
I am aware that you have been questioning the love I have for you
But you know me- you
You should know me well enough to trust that my love for you is true
Should know better
You should have more faith in our relationship and trust that I am committed to you
I belong to you - an' only
You
I am devoted to you and only you
Girl you got to know if it's
Up to me we'll be together
For ever and ever - ooh
If it's up to me, I want to be with you forever and ever
When another girl even
Looks my way
I let her know that she best
Be on her way
If another girl shows interest in me, I make it clear that I am committed to you
Don't want to spend my
Time, don't want to give my
Love to no - one but you
I only want to spend my time and give my love to you
Girl you shoulda' known I'll
Never let you down
Your heart is my home
You're always on my mind
You should have already known that I will never disappoint you, you are my home and you are always on my mind
This love is on solid ground
You shoulda' known by the
Look in my eye
Our love is strong and stable, you should have seen in the way I look at you that our love is true
How could you doubt my
Love, you know me - you
Should know better
I can't understand why you would doubt my love since you know me so well
Darlin I'd be a fool to lose
Your trust
I value your trust in me and would be foolish to ever lose it
Ain't nothin' in my life, in
This whole world I've come
To treasure
The way I do you
There is nothing in my life or in this world that I value as much as I value you
So any time that you feel
Unsure Look in my eyes that's
Where you'll find the truth
Whenever you feel unsure about our relationship, look into my eyes and you will find the truth about my love for you
I wanna fill you up with all
The love I feel
An' take your worries away
I want to show you how much I love you and ease any worries you may have
And when I met you I got a
Feelin' that we meant to be
-that you were sent just for
Me
When I met you, I felt like we were meant to be and that you were sent to me
Shoulda' known, shoulda'
Known by now
By now, you should have known and trusted my love for you
Contributed by Ryan V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.